Battle worn or battle hardened?

By J. D. Lovrenciear

BN has had the lead advantage of having formed the government for as long as we all can remember. And in the process it also had a leader who masterminded the carving out of a political cartel that thrives with absolute advantage – be it the legislature, the judiciary or the executive powers of governance. And of course the entire civil service employees and the main stream media to boot.

Meanwhile, the unacknowledged fact by the ruling class is that the ‘Opposition’ parties have actually withstood the test of time battling from their disadvantage poles. The DAP and PAS were not recent creations. And PKR was born at the heights of widespread nationwide frustration – lest we all forget.

Today, if we witness a bonding of three political parties on the ‘Opposition’ frontier battling the Sarawak-vote war, it is because of circumstances not of their own doing that have driven them to this spirit of co-operation.

Now as the epic battle draws close to its finishing line in Sarawak, perhaps speculating on whether the partners in opposition will chart new milestones of victories is not all that important. What is crucial is to witness the fact that the ‘Opposition’ survived the onslaught from BN in this mother-of-all election wars.

The fact that citizens are willing to part with their money to help partly fund the many campaign nights as opposed to BN rallies that demands dipping deeper into the coffers of the party machinery and tax payers money is a very important benchmark of political strength and relevancy.

The ‘Opposition’ only makes promises of what it will do for the rakyat. But the BN dishes out sudden and huge allocations of money for development as it hits the campaign trail. That again is another yardstick to assess who is really worthy of growing to future strength on their own merits.

Even if the ‘Opposition’ were to lose in the Sarawak elections, BN’s victory cannot be a testament that it’s a people’s choice credence. Why? Because much of the constituencies are populated by citizens that almost 75% of the West Malaysians have very little knowledge about. These voters live a very different lifestyle and under different or alien conditions by comparison to the big cities of West Malaysia. And they are the ones that BN would depend on for its longevity.

And true to form, BN in its no-holds-barred strategy has helicopter-ed and speed-boated into the far interiors like a good Santa Claus. For the humble, wise long house dwellers, bearings of gifts, tales of taboo and pleasing the spirits of the jungle and immediate gratification to make a difference to the cold nights must be reciprocated with honest gratitude. And so the vote is secured for BN.

Yes the ‘Opposition’ partners of true democracy and civil liberties sweated and slogged in the major cities of Sarawak. Some despite the lack of helicopter services and speed boats, did all they humanly could manage in the few days of campaigning as they made their way through muddy tracks and rickety sampans.

And as the D-day kept drawing closer, even the internet websites of all those who could chip in to help were severed with the mighty blow of DDOS.

Yes, whatever the outcome of the Sarawak election come April 16, 2011, one fact remains etched permanently in the Malaysian political history. That is, the ‘Opposition’ partners are truly battle hardened even if they had not won the two-thirds majority. They went the distance. They fought an honourable battle. They did not use public funds to earn their merits.

The outcome of the Sarawak election – either way, will also hit another new note for the ‘Opposition’. The citizenry on the ‘West Bank’ of the nation will become even more battle hardened as they count on the GE-13. Why? It is simply because they have been helpless witnesses to the realities of the Sarawak State elections 2011.

In all likelihood the agenda to finish off the ‘Opposition’ coalition leader may intensify beyond anyone’s guess subsequently well before the GE-13. But that is only bound to incense the believers all the more. And it would even see more conversions as the drama gets ever more ridiculous.

Now the most illusive question is: Why then does BN want to risk all these?

Perhaps the answer can be found in Murphy’s Law. That is, somehow nature has a tendency to side with the hidden flaw in any system.  When you remain in power for far too long and under lead-advantage positions, you tend to become blinded to the harsher truths. That is why very early in life teachers tell you the story of the ‘Emperor and his clothes’. But BN is only human to forget.

Hence, come GE-13, Malaysia may face its biggest challenge since the days of the communist insurgency. This would not have been the forgone conclusion if the leaders within the BN themselves had not raised the keris or more recently cried ‘broken bones, crushed bodies and lost lives’.

The harsh fact is the force of the ‘Opposition’ cannot be dismissed by arrests and court cases for they – the leaders and supporters have been battle hardened by the doings and misdeeds of BN for a good two decades.

Secondly, change is an inevitable chain of events in the process of nature. Either BN changes its means and ends of politics or it gets changed in GE-13.

Thirdly, the ‘West Bank’ of Malaysia is so very different from the East. People live under different conditions and as such their politico-cultural mindset is different.

Yes some will say that BN will cheat in the general elections. It does not hold water as cheating to win does not last a lifetime; we only believe that cheating wins always.

Finally, the truth is the ‘Opposition’ is not battle worn but battle hardened. They survived and thrived on chaos all this while and as the well worn cliché goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

So the tougher BN makes it for the ‘Opposition’ the better BN’s opponents will become. BN leaders must accept the humbling fact that seasons come and seasons must go. You cannot have summer for another fifty years.

And finally, politicians better be reminded that voting for a legally registered political party that is opposing to BN is not a punishable crime. It is not an unethical act by the citizenry. It is not about being un-patriotic.

On the contrary, deliberately jeopardising your opponent because of ones lead advantage is as severe as treason for it goes against nation, king, citizenry and the very fundamentals of the religious teachings of all faiths.